Burgon & Ball Weed Puller/Root Remover Knife - RHS Range

This Burgon & Ball root-pulling weeder knife is a three-in-one hand tool, perfect for removing plants from pots, planting seedlings, and also extracting long and deep taproots of certain 'weeds' that are particularly difficult to eradicate. This tool is equipped with a short and sturdy FSC-certified wooden handle that provides a good grip. It has a long narrow head with sharp edges and a beveled tip, which is very effective at containing roots and penetrating the soil with its polished stainless steel blade. With its short handle that requires working in a crouched position, this model is suitable for small areas (flower beds, small vegetable gardens) or for maintaining raised plantings such as raised beds or flower boxes. Lightweight, maneuverable, and durable, it is a well-made tool that will accompany the gardener for many years.

* FSC is an international eco-label guaranteeing that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests

Dimensions head width: 3cm (1in) - total length: 33cm (13in)

This tool is essential for successfully extracting so-called taproots, which are deeply anchored in the soil and difficult to pull out without breaking. These are long relatively narrow and tapered roots that penetrate vertically and deeply into the soil, from which other much finer roots grow laterally. They can be found, for example, in carrots, parsnips, and oak trees, but also in many 'weeds' such as dandelions, plantains, thistles, sow thistles, or dock weeds. To destroy these types of plants, it is necessary to remove at least the 5-7 centimetres (2-3 inches) of root along with the leaf rosette, sometimes even the entire root. In general, leaving a small part of the root deep in the soil will not allow the unwanted plant to survive. The sharp edges of the long blade penetrate the soil at the neck of the plant, while turning and pressing on the handle at the same time. The blade goes all around the root and cuts the rootlets, leaving only the task of pulling it out of the soil.

The English have the privilege of being the reference when it comes to gardening (if not in cooking). Promesses de Fleurs has chosen the English company Burgon & Ball for the quality of its materials and its almost three-century-old steel manufacturing methods. The company has been working with steel in Sheffield since 1730, starting with a patent for solid steel sheep shears. The production of garden shears and equipment quickly surpassed that of sheep shears, but Burgon & Ball stainless steel tools are officially approved by the Royal Horticultural Society - probably the ultimate reward in the gardening industry.

The steel used for Burgon & Ball tools is alloyed with carbon to give it strength, and with chromium to prevent rust. It is a very precise balance that needs to be found between chromium and carbon, different for each part of the tool. For example, the socket, which needs to be strong enough to resist bending, is made of thicker steel with a medium balance between chromium and carbon, while the blade of this trowel, which requires significant strength and hardness to withstand flexing in the soil, is made with a higher carbon content than chromium.

The heat treatment allows to achieve exactly the right hardness of the steel for each tool. Too hard and the metal can break or chip, not hard enough and it will bend or lose its sharpness. The thickness of the steel is also dependent on the tool. This trowel requires a thicker steel than a knife, which can be made of much thinner steel. The thickness of the steel also affects the weight, so it is a balance that the company Burgon & Ball, with its almost 300 years of experience, has validated to ensure that its tools are both effective and pleasant to use.